Bitcoin 'plebs eat first' mining pool Parasite finds its second BTC block

Parasite Pool, a home-miner–focused bitcoin mining pool using a hybrid payout model, mined its second block (945,601) on Apr 18, 2026, validating the pool’s design and its ability to retain hashrate across long dry spells. The pool awards 1 BTC to the block finder and distributes the remaining 2.125 BTC plus fees proportionally to participants with no pool fee and Lightning payouts. The block landed with bitcoin around $76,213 and carried tiny fees (0.002 BTC). Parasite’s current hashrate is ~52 PH/s (down from a 182 PH/s peak), roughly 0.005% of the ~1 ZH/s network. The second payout strengthens confidence in hybrid models for home miners but is unlikely to move broader markets; continued payouts or extended droughts will determine long-term viability and miner behavior.